Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has declared that he will withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if a younger contender defeats him to secure the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Abubakar stated that he would not only step aside but also support and mentor such an aspirant.
However, he noted that it was still uncertain whether he would be contesting again. “This is only the beginning. Our priority is to establish the party and gain a strong following,” he said when asked about his intentions.
“If I run for office, and a young man defeats me, I will accept that. The party we have joined now prioritises youth and women.”
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, have both expressed interest in the ADC ticket. Both are younger than Abubakar.
‘I LEFT PDP BECAUSE OF CRISIS’
Abubakar resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July, accusing it of abandoning its founding principles.
He told BBC Hausa that infiltration by elements from the All Progressives Congress (APC) contributed to his decision.
“Besides, that is one of the reasons we set up ADC, which I am a member of,” he explained.
According to him, the PDP is deeply divided “because the APC government in power has decided to use some party leaders to frustrate efforts of having a strong opposition that could challenge the government.”
“As the day went by, the crises in PDP were growing, and the hope of resolving it was speedily vanishing because the government was allegedly using some senior members of the party to destabilise the party further, and we could see that in their actions and utterances,” he added.
Abubakar said the party’s leadership structure hindered meaningful reforms:
“I could have taken some firm decisions to fix the party if I were the chairman or secretary of the party, or someone who listened to me was the chairman or secretary. Sadly, the people occupying those positions have different interests that are primarily personal to them.”
On the ADC, he explained: “Regarding the ADC, our goal is to establish the party structures at the state level. We have already established the national leadership, and they are working on ensuring the state and local government structures are strengthened and ready for the 2027 elections.”
Atiku Abubakar, 78, was the PDP’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election. By the 2027 polls, he will be 81.
He has contested for the presidency six times and has appeared on the ballot as a candidate on three occasions — 2007, 2019, and 2023.